


Of Cold Mornings And Coffee Dates

by Just_A_Simple_Writer



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Birds, Coffee, F/F, Fluff, an (ex) avatar of the slaughter gets harrassed by pigeons, light bullying of elias, okay this literally has no plot its just. fluff, one (1) instance of calling americans 'eagle people'
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-03
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-13 12:02:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28528164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Just_A_Simple_Writer/pseuds/Just_A_Simple_Writer
Summary: “I’m your loving and devoted girlfriend,” Melanie told her, deadpan. “What else am I here for, but to remind you how disgustingly romantic you are four times a week?”
Relationships: Georgie Barker/Melanie King
Comments: 12
Kudos: 33





	Of Cold Mornings And Coffee Dates

**Author's Note:**

> this was written for a winter exchange and it took me. far too long. whoops

“You are the _only_ person I have ever met who takes their cat for a walk.”

Georgie laughed, breath crystalising in the cold morning air. “He needs exercise. I’m not just going to let him run amok.”

“So you put him in a little waistcoat?”

“Well, it stops him eating the wildlife. Besides, it’s cute.”

“I bet it is.”

Georgie exhaled slowly, rubbing her hands together, and reached out to take Melanie’s free hand, linking their fingers together. “He’s a little baby.”

Melanie snorted, squeezing Georgie’s hand. “Just know I’m spiritually rolling my eyes at you, alright?”

“So I didn’t catch you calling him an _ickle wickle little darling_ two days ago?”

“I’ve never said _ickle wickle_.”

“Except for just then?” Georgie lifted her hand and kissed it.

“Except for just then.”

Georgie laughed, tugging gently on The Admiral’s leash to pull him away from Melanie’s feet. “It’s a nice morning.”

“It’s a fucking freezing morning, Georgie.”

“Well, you’re here, and so’s The Admiral. I’d say that makes it pretty nice.”

Melanie sighed deeply, as though it would disguise the fact that her cheeks were going red, and not just from the cold. “You are _disgustingly_ romantic. Has anyone ever told you that?”

“Only everyone I’ve ever dated. And you, yesterday.”

“Just thought it was worth mentioning again. In case you’d missed it.”

Georgie just laughed, watching The Admiral jump at a nearby pigeon and miss. “I hadn’t, but thank you. I really appreciate it.”

“I’m your loving and devoted girlfriend,” Melanie told her, deadpan. “What else am I here for, but to remind you how disgustingly romantic you are four times a week?”

“You’re also here to light up my life.”

“There you go again,” Melanie said, though she couldn’t help a fond smile pulling at her lips. “Do you do it on purpose?”

“Perhaps,” Georgie said, leaning over to kiss her girlfriend on the cheek. “I think you’re cute when you’re flustered.”

Melanie’s cheeks went a slightly darker shade of red and she pulled a face. “You think this is ‘flustered?’”

“Maybe,” Georgie said, squeezing Melanie’s hand. “It’s cute.”

“I’m going to hit you,” Melanie warned. “Call me cute again, I dare you.”

“Alright, alright. Oh darling, darling, no.”

The last part was addressed towards The Admiral, who had managed to get his leash tangled around the leg of a table. An occupied table, too.

“I’m so sorry,” Georgie told the couple cooing over the cat, dropping Melanie’s hand and going to untangle him. “He just likes the attention.”

“He’s adorable,” the young woman at the table said, smiling as Georgie picked The Admiral up to the tune of loud protests.

“He’s a menace,” Melanie called, amused.

“Oh, shh,” Georgie told her reproachfully. “He doesn’t mean it.”

“He bloody well does,” Melanie told her, sticking her hand out in Georgie’s general direction. “Come on, it’s cold.”

Georgie laughed, linking their fingers together again and putting The Admiral back on the ground, letting him run off towards a nearby pigeon, only to be stopped by the leash.

“You’re soft, really,” she teased, kissing Melanie’s fingers.

Melanie snorted. “I’m nothing of the sort.”

“Of course, dear.”

“The threat of hitting you still stands, _dear_.”

Georgie just laughed. “Terrifying.”

“You are literally the worst.”

“Whatever you say,” Georgie said, swinging their arms gently. “Shame that you love me, then.”

Melanie sighed, soft and undeniably fond. “No,” she said, a smile pulling at her lips. “I don’t think it’s a shame at all.”

“And you call _me_ a sap?”

Melanie laughed, aiming a half-hearted kick at Georgie’s feet and missing. “Way to ruin the moment.”

“I just thought it was worth pointing out,” Georgie said. “But by all means, we can go back to the moment.”

“It’s too late,” Melanie told her. “The moment is ruined and I’m going back to being the grinch.”

“You’re not green enough.”

“I’m green in my soul. My soul is green.”

“I thought your soul was black. I’m very certain the last time I asked you how you wanted your coffee you told me _black like my soul._ ”

Melanie snorted. “And then you made it with cream and sugar, so what does that say about you?”

“You like your coffee like that, don’t try and lie to me.”

“I would never.”

Georgie smiled and leaned over to kiss Melanie’s cheek. “I’m sure you wouldn’t. Do you want to sit down for a bit? I’d quite like a coffee, actually.”

“Alright,” Melanie said, and followed Georgie over to the nearest coffee shop, settling into a chair and resting her cane against the table.

Georgie sat down opposite her, picking up The Admiral and putting him in her lap. He meowed, pleased, and settled down for a nap. She felt a little guilty about the fact she would have to get up in a moment and displace him, but he would be alright.

“It’s bloody cold out here,” Melanie complained, rubbing her hands together through her gloves. “If you hadn’t brought your bastard son we could have sat inside.”

“My precious baby son needs a walk,” Georgie told her, huffing a quiet laugh. Her breath steamed in the cold air. “What do you want to drink?”

Melanie shrugged. “I don’t know, surprise me. Something with cinnamon.”

“Something with cinnamon,” Georgie said, standing up and shifting The Admiral into Melanie’s arms. “I can do that.”

“Why do I have to hold the bastard?” Melanie grumbled, already scratching him behind the ear the way he liked.

“Because I’m going inside,” Georgie told her, leaning down to kiss her cheek. “I won’t be long. Don’t do anything rash while I’m gone.”

“I make no promises,” Melanie called after her as she disappeared back into the shop, and she laughed.

It was a lot warmer inside, and Georgie rubbed her hands together, feeling a tiny bit guilty about leaving Melanie outside, but she would probably be okay. The Admiral was a wonderful handwarmer, after all.

The woman behind the counter was very polite as Georgie ordered a coffee for her and a sickly-sweet cinnamon thing for Melanie. It was just the sort of thing that she would like, really.

The drinks were very warm, and Georgie took them gratefully, feeling the paper cups warm her frozen fingers.

She left the shop, careful not to spill hot coffee over her fingers, and found that somehow, in the two minutes she had been gone, Melanie had managed to get herself into trouble.

“Are you okay?” she asked, stopping a little way away from the table.

“Fine,” Melanie said, voice a little strained.

The Admiral hissed. One of the four (four!) pigeons perched on the table cooed in a way that Georgie imagined to be threatening.

“You … seem to be having some trouble.”

“They won’t leave.”

Georgie did her best to stifle a laugh. “I think they just want a snack.”

The Admiral hissed again, and made a valiant attempt to wriggle out of Melanie’s arms and attack the pigeons on the table. The pigeons fluffed their wings up, but they didn’t even bother getting off the table. Apparently they had realised The Admiral was restrained enough as to not be a threat.

“They’re mocking me,” Melanie said, waving her hand in the vague direction of the pigeons. The Admiral used the opportunity to make another break for freedom and Melanie only just managed to catch him.

“Baby,” Georgie cooed, amused by the fury in The Admiral’s eyes at being restrained. “Are the mean birdies bullying you?”

“ _You’re_ bullying me,” Melanie said, and Georgie snorted.

“I was talking to The Admiral,” she said. “I’m sure _you_ can hold your own against a handful of birds.”

“I could,” Melanie told her, “if I were not forced to look after your bastard son.”

“They’re kind of cute,” Georgie said, watching the pigeons strut across the table.

Melanie snorted. “I’ve named them all Elias, and they deserve it. Can you stop standing there and just shoo them away?”

“You called _all_ of them Elias?”

“Why is that the part you’re focusing on? Yes, I called them all Elias. They’re probably his horrible minions or something.”

She made a rude gesture at the pigeons.

“You think your old boss Elias, evil king of knowledge blah blah blah, you think _that man_ would have pigeons as minions? He strikes me more as an eagle person.”

Melanie thwarted yet another escape attempt on The Admiral’s part, clinging to him as he wriggled, furious about not being able to eat the pigeons that were right there. “An eagle person? You mean an American?”

Georgie tried and failed not to laugh at that. “You know, I just envision him with a bird of prey perched majestically on his arm or something.”

“Nah, he’s a rat,” Melanie said. “I think he’d go for the sky rats.”

One of the pigeons squawked loudly and Melanie jumped. “Oh, for God’s sake, just shoo them away.”

“Alright, alright,” Georgie said, a little reluctantly, and chased the birds off the table so she could sit down. She rather liked pigeons, to be honest, and she liked them fluttering around.

Melanie, it seemed, did not agree, and nor did The Admiral. He seemed furious that he hadn’t been allowed to slaughter the birds who had _dared_ encroach upon his space.

“Here’s your drink,” Georgie said, taking him back and putting one of the cooling coffees into Melanie’s hand instead.

“Finally,” Melanie grumbled, taking a long drink of it. “Oh, this is good. Thank you.”

“No problem,” Georgie told her, scratching The Admiral behind the ears until he calmed down a bit and stopped trying to claw at her leg.

She took a sip of her own coffee. It had cooled a little, but it was still hot enough as to taste good.

“This is nice,” she said, exhaling slowly and watching her breath steam.

“Now the feathered assholes are gone,” Melanie said, a smile pulling at her lips, “yeah. It is.”

Georgie reached across the table and linked their fingers together. “We should spend more time like this. Just us.”

“Just us and your monster.”

Georgie laughed. “Our monster. Don’t try and pretend you don’t love him like a son.”

“He’s a horrible little bastard man.”

“And you love him.”

Melanie huffed. “I tolerate him because I love _you_.”

“I love you too.”

Melanie smiled, squeezing Georgie’s hand gently. “I know.”


End file.
